Battery condition indicator



July 19, 1938. J.A. VINCENT BATTERY CONDITION INDICATOR Filed May 20,1936 To INTAKE MamroLp llllllllllllll In funn@ wwwwrwn: A

To STORAGE @A'rfrzy GMM/MM Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED -1 s Fierce l."BATTERYlcoNDrmoNnNmcAfroR n 1 .JamesA. Vincent, i .Pliovilerice, fR. kApplication May yao, 19st, Aserial11x10.' D80,1189

. 7 =Claims.

This inventiony 'relates to the-art "of indicators Aand isparticularlyconcernedwith means'for reinoteindication` of the;conditionfand"leve'lof the electrolyte `liquid in storage *batteries of'automo- 445 l -biiesand the-like. l

An object'of the invention is'theprovision of-a visual indicator forautomobile batteriea'adapted i for dashboard mounting andoperablyinfluenced byu suction ofthe intakemanifoldiof'lthemotor.

Another object'is` the provisionof 'aniindicator of` such -character`having `selfrcontained'"-means whereby the liquid for the batteries maybe supplied directly throughthe indicator itself. Other objects will beapparent to persons skilled in the art.

The present disclosure constitutes a practical means by which theinvention is reduced to practice. It is to be understood that thestructural details thereoimay be varied and altered as de- 0 sired inany respects not inconsistent with the scope of the invention asclaimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front elevation of the indicatorinstrument.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the instrument. Y

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

The'indicator comprises an instrument adapted to be attached by anysuitable mounting upon the instrument board of an automobile. As hereshown it consists of a transparent container 5 formed as a substantiallycylindrical glass body having flat front and rear faces and providedwith S5 a diametrical well 6 open at its lower end through the bore 'Iof an integral lateral nipple 8 to a ilexible conduit 9 leading to thestorage battery cells,

not shown. Adjacent the upper end of the Well 6 the body 5 is providedwith another integral l0 lateral nipple IE! extending from its frontface and externally threaded to receive thereover a detachable capI I Iproviding a filler closure. A bore I2 through the nipple communicateswith the well 6. t

Throughout its longitudinal extent the well 6 opens to the rear face ofthe container body 5 which body, at the ends and side edges of the well,is recessed to seat a light reliecting or color contrast panel strip I 3provided with longitudinal 60 notches I4 at each end and which issuitably secured in its seating recess to constitute a rear wall overthe major extent of the well.

A circular flexible diaphragm I5 of flexible material is mounted overthe entire rear face of the body 5 completely covering the same and alsothe `panel VI3,tl1e -diaphragm'having .asealed attach- `ingengagement'at'its `rim withthe rim of the rear A*face offthecontainerzbody. `vThe. diaphragm is further" secured bytheclampingengagement of an annular edge ilange-IB of arearwardly dished suctionchamber I 1 vthatralso :providesa `housing for expansion'springfmeansIllv mounted between the rear wall of chamber I1 and'a button-head lstud|9rsecuredncentral'1yon'therearface of the "fdiaphragm.- -Afcasing``20is'mounted over the 'front' ofv thecontainer'body' 5 an-disprovided witha'fSight-e aperture 2| in registryt-with-=the^wel1 `6. Thecasi'ng isYfurthenp'rovidedwith a^rearwardly extended cylindrical portion 22having an inturned annular edge flange 23 bent over the edge flange I6of the suction chamber to clamp same against the diaphragm and containerbody. The casing portion 22 is formed with a plurality` ofcircumferentially spaced light apertures 24 to illuminate the well 6.

The rear wall of the suction chamber I1 carries an attaching nipple 25provided with a reduced bore 26 opening to the interior of the chamber.A conduit 21 leading to the engine intake manifold, not shown, issecured over the nipple. The well 6 contains a lioat of suitablecomposition and weight to indicate the specic gravity of battery liquidwhen present in the well.

In service, when the engine of an automobile equipped with the indicatoris running, a suction is effected in the suction chamber I'I which drawsover the diaphragm against compression of the spring and thus sucks upbattery liquid through conduit 9 into the well 6 and the chamber I 'I infront of the diaphragm. The notchesV I4 in the panel strip I3 permitfree circulation of the battery liquid which rises in the well giving asight indication in the sight aperture 2| which, if the proper amount ofliquid is in the batteries rises to the level as shown in Figure l,Also, the oat 28 by its position indicates the specic gravity of theliquid 29. When the engine is cut off the spring restores the diaphragmto its initial position as shown in Figure 3 which, with gravity,evacuates the liquid from the well back into the battery conduit 9 andto the battery. vIf the sight reading indicates a drop in leveladditional liquid may be supplied through the ller nipple I0.

I claim:-

1. A battery liquid condition indicator comprising a fixed chamber, aflexible diaphragm dividing said chamber into separate non-communicatingportions, one portion having a transparent wall and a hydrometer elementtherein, a battery liquid inlet in free communication with said por- 55tion, and means for effecting suction in the other portion behind thediaphragm whereby to eX said diaphragm to draw liquid through saidinlet.

2. A battery liquid condition indicator comprising a fixed container forsuch liquid open through one wall thereof, another wall having atransparent portion, 2, hydrometer element therein, a battery liquidconduit in open communication with the container, a flexible diaphragmcovering Vthe open wall of the container, and means for applying suctionto said diaphragm through a wall of the container to ex the diaphragmand increase the capacity of the container.

3. A battery liquid condition indicator comprising a transparent liquidreceptacle adapted to receive liquid from a battery, a suction chamberadjacent said receptacle, and a flexible diaphragmV providing a commonwall between said receptacl and chamber. Y

4.,A liquid condition `indicator oomprisinga receptacle having atransparent wall and a flexible wall, an inlet to said receptacle from asource of liquid to be indicated, and means for applying suction on theoutside of said flexible wall whereby to draw liquid from the sourceinto said receptacle for visual inspection through said transparentwall.

5. A battery liquid condition indicator comprising a casing, a liquidreceiving chamber therein, a suction chamber therein, a flexiblediaphragm separating said chambers, means establishing opencommunication between a source of battery liquid and the liquidreceiving chamber, means for effecting suction in the suction chamberfor drawing liquid into the liquid receiving chamber, said liquidreceiving chamber having a transparent wall, said casing being aperturedfor visibility of liquid when in said receiving chamber.

6. A battery liquid condition indicator comprising a casing providedwith sight apertures, a transparent receptacle therein and arranged toreceive liquid from a source of battery liquid to be inspected, saidreceptacle opening to the interior of the casing, a exible diaphragmmounted in said casing and separating same into noncommunicatingchambers, means for subjecting one side of said diaphragm to suctionwhereby to draw liquid into said receptacle in the chamber at the otherside, and float means in said receptacle. l

'LA battery liquid condition indicator comprising a casing provided withsight apertures, a receptacle therein and having a transparent wall inregistry with said apertures, means for applying suction to said casinginterior, means therein operable by suction for drawing battery liquidinto said receptacle, means in said casing ior evacuating the receptacleon cessation of receptacle 'and a source of battery liquid, and a iillerinlet in the top of said receptacle for introducing liquid therethroughto the conduit.

JAMES A. VINCENT.

